The security of a web browser is ensured only when it has the necessary features to guarantee such security. Just like you can’t access the internet without a browser, you can provide a browser’s safety without certain features.
With the increasing need for browser security, a web browser must be very sophisticated to withstand cyber attacks. This led to the creation of alternatives such as enterprise browsers. In this article, you will learn why your browser should be secure and the security features that can guarantee its security.
Why Should You Secure Your Browser?
When the browser was first invented, it mostly served the purpose of finding information on the internet and, in extreme cases connecting with people in forums. But they have become very advanced: it has become a place where people store their passwords, credit card information, and other sensitive information. On a business level, many companies solely have their business infrastructure on a web browser. Some don’t even have physical offices; they solely depend on remote work and a browser to make sales on the Internet.
Since web browsers became such an important tool, malicious elements and cyber criminals have become attracted to the tool, and they are doing everything possible to overrun any browser. These cybercriminals are aware that once they get access to a browser, they will get access to important information like passwords, financial information, and other sensitive data.
Cybercriminals also steal your browsing history and use it to create advertisement profiles targeted against you. In some extreme cases, these cybercriminals can use their browsing history to blackmail an individual or organization.
Cases like these are reasons individuals and small and big companies need to secure their browsers from being accessed and manipulated by malicious entities. Securing one’s browser can be complex, but when done properly, it prevents malicious elements from stealing important information. Sophisticated browser protection becomes less complicated when individuals and organizations use web security tools like LayerX.
Web Browser Security Features That Make it Safe
- Sandboxing
Like the regular sandbox, they usually stop sand from running over; this is exactly the same purpose sandboxing serves for browser security. This is a security feature that isolates a web browser from cybercriminals and subsequently prevents them from getting access to personal data. When this feature is turned on, it runs the web browser in an isolated environment, preventing any destructive element from getting to the browser.
Sandboxing is so important that even when a cybercriminal manages to gain access to a browser, it limits what they can access. Sandboxing also lets users note their browser vulnerabilities and how they can patch them up.
- Popup Blocker
When using your browser, you discover that certain sites and other web content sometimes pop up on the screen. While some pop-ups are harmless, hackers use others to infiltrate web browsers. When unsuspecting users click on these pop-ups, they are immediately redirected to a malicious website where the attack occurs.
This is where pop-up blockers come in: they have saved many individuals and organizations from allowing malicious elements into their browsers. Sometimes when users click on these pop-ups, malware is installed in the background without the user’s knowledge. However, pop-up blockers stop all these from happening.
- Cookie Blockers
Whether you are an individual or an organization, you won’t like another company monitoring exactly what you do on the internet and selling the information. But this happens on the internet with the help of some malicious and tracking cookies. Some cookies you accept while browsing the internet come with tracking elements that monitor your browsing history.
When these malicious elements collect this data, they use it to create targeted advertisements for similar profiles like you. In other scenarios, these cookies compromise your web browser security by injecting malicious codes. But when there’s a tool like a cookie blocker, it prevents malicious cookies from being stored in your web browser. A great cookie blocker should also alert you whenever they detect a malicious cookie stored on your browser.
- Anti-Malware Software
When left without anti-malware software, your browser becomes more susceptible to malicious elements. Subscribing to the service of a trusted anti-malware software provider would help you halt any form of a virus. Some legacy browsers claim to have anti-malware technology integration. However, it may not give you thorough protection compared to the reliable anti-malware software you subscribed to.
Software like this will detect when a virus is about to infiltrate your web browser or device and immediately prevent such an attack. Without software like this, malware can cause so much harm to your browser that every personal information you have stored online would be stolen.
- HTTPS Enforcer
One of the major security features people overlook is the enforcement of HTTPS on websites. When a website comes with HTTPS, users can easily share data between the sites without worrying about comprising their information. This is because when a website has HTTPS, the information transmitted is encrypted, so only the client and website can access the information and no third party.
Having a browser that only allows you to access websites with HTTPS will prevent you from entering malicious sites unknowingly.
- Security Plugins
Plugins or extensions help to enhance some functions that didn’t originally come with a web browser. For instance, since most web browsers do not have the video download button, installing some plugins will help you download videos without issues.
The same thing applies to the security of a web browser: installing a security plugin will help secure the browser from complex cyber attacks. Lightweight security plugins like LayerX provide a web user with all the security, monitoring, and identification tools to keep a browser safe from any attack.
Conclusion
Browser security is only guaranteed when the necessary tools and technologies are available. Without these security features, it will be very easy to compromise a browser’s security. For instance, a browser’s security can easily be compromised if there’s no pop-up blocker to stop malicious pop-ups from coming up.
Since browsers have very important and sensitive information, a browser must features such as security plugins, cookie blockers, HTTPS enforcers, pop-up blockers, and many other important features.
Working as a cyber security solutions architect, Alisa focuses on application and network security. Before joining us she held a cyber security researcher positions within a variety of cyber security start-ups. She also experience in different industry domains like finance, healthcare and consumer products.
